Social Interactions at Work and the Well-Being of Daughters Involved in Parent Care

Abstract

This study examined the associations between positive and negative social interactions at work and the psychological and physical well-being of 103 women who had parent care responsibilities and who were also employed. Higher levels of problematic interactions at work surround ing attempts to balance caregiving and work responsibilities were related to poorer well-being, even after work involvement and role stress had been considered. Findings also indicated that problematic interactions with an immediate supervisor were related to poorer physical health, whereas problematic interactions with a coworker with whom the caregiver worked most closely were related to poorer psychological well-being. In contrast, supportive interactions regarding attempts to balance caregiving and work responsibilities were unrelated to well-being. This study highlights the importance of examining problematic interactions at work among caregivers, particularly interactions associated with managing caregiving and work roles.